Style and Storage in Small Spaces – Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Style and Storage in Small Spaces – Milwaukee, Wisconsin

After being invited to the house of a popular Milwaukee writer, I didn’t know what to expect. The friendly and gentle writer didn’t hit me as the owner of a chic condo, but his laid-back personality and happy attitude intrigued his home.

I pulled into the parking lot on the Bayview Terrace on South Shore Drive and soon met the writer (who wants to remain anonymous). Stepping into a 1,200-square-foot condo, I found that I found a wonderfully unique place that perfectly combined the homeowner’s style with this storage need.

Diverse but symmetrical

The writer sold his home in Washington Heights in 1996 and changed the life of the condo. “I wasn’t looking for an apartment, but I happened to visit some units here and realized that this was a viable option,” he says.

The author, a collector of books, art, music, etc., quickly realized the need to combine storage with his style. “My space in my house needs to work properly, but I also like being surrounded by my own space,” he says.

“Almost all furniture and decorations are from Milwaukee resellers. Many of my acquisitions were accidental and reasonably priced, especially the artwork, many of which are from the late Russian Soviet Union.”

When asked about his decorative style, he describes it as diverse but symmetrical. “It’s certainly eclectic,” he points out. “I’m not the one who buys a set of matches. It doesn’t mean that things are confusing. They are different, but they complement each other well. The important thing is the harmony of shape and color. Is to look for. “

This can be seen all over the house. For example, used bedside lamps work particularly well with each other, and an ad for vintage olive oil with a frame gives the kitchen table underneath a pleasant symmetry. Kitsch, classy, ​​historic, all the different accessories scattered throughout the house work together well.

Give way to custom shelves

Leveraging space was the key to storing the owner’s extraordinary books and CD collections. Upon moving in, custom bookshelves designed and created by Cudahy carpenters were installed in almost every room in the condo.

Books are housed together by subject in a particular room. For example, a fun and cozy interior room acts as a kind of mass media library featuring books on movies, music, and art. Another room has a shelf of philosophy and theology. Many books are arranged alphabetically, about two depths, while other bookshelves are organized by subject country (for example, history books), and more books by author or title. They are lined up in.

“I know where all the books are,” says the homeowner. “It may seem like a complex system to some, but it makes perfect sense to me.”

Some of the most striking pieces in the house are cabinets of various Chinese pharmacists. Featuring two dozen small drawers, the cabinet was originally used by Chinese pharmacists centuries ago to hold herbal medicine. Today, luxurious wooden cabinets are a prime example of a storage meeting style, as they not only add a bit of warmth and height to the space, but also perform well.

“I bought some of them from a store in District 3 a few years ago,” says the writer. “I love the details and the history behind them, but it’s also fun that the drawers are perfect for organizing and storing CD collections. The plastic case fits snugly in a small, narrow drawer.”

When asked if he had completed the deck of a Bayview condo, the writer explained: Give it to me! “